EARTH VOICES - SERIES II

Like Earth Voices - Series I, this 13 part magazine style series, Earth Voices - II, presents another diverse group of Aboriginal people from Alberta and Northwest Territories. In this series, we profile politicians, known and unknown artists, historians, activists, musicians and many others. Each program contains four interviews with the final interview being the “last word” provided by an Elder. The series is hosted by Bertha Twin (13 x 30:00)

Program 01

Ethel Blondin-Andrew - Politician: The First Native woman elected to the parliament of Canada. Ethel tells us about living on the land with her parents and grandparents, to attending a residential school where her language and culture were taken away. Feels her advantage in life is that she “has no fear”.

Irvine Scalplock - Historian: Director of the Siksika Cultural Centre, Irvine is one of the leaders of the movement to repatriate sacred native objects held in museum collections. Irvine believes that preserving the Blackfoot way of life essential and that language is the most important.

Marilyn Dumont - Writer: The only thing harder than making a living as a poet in Canada is to make your living as a Metis poet in Alberta. Marilyn Dumont often writes of the Canadian position of Native women. She has received numerous literary awards in Canada and has taught creative writing at Simon Fraser University and Kwantlen University College.

Leo Norwegian - Elder: Respected Slavey Elder from Fort Simpson, NWT. His advice to our youth is “find out who you are, where you came from, why are you here and where are you going”.

Program 02

Duane Goodstriker - Activist: Duane, from the Blackfoot Nation, was responsible for putting up the crosses to mark the cemetery near the Rossdale Power plant in Edmonton and for forcing City Hall to recognize that human remains were being treated as if they were in the way.

Germaine Arnaktauyok - Printmaker: Born in Igloolik, now known as Nunavut, Germaine is renowned for her talents as an illustrator and master printmaker. Her ideas come from traditional Inuit legends and from living and witnessing the unique lifestyle of her people.

Everett Soop - Tribute: Louis Soop talks about his late brother, Everett Soop, who was an irreverent and hilariously funny writer/cartoonist.

Rose Auger - Elder: Respected Woodland Cree Elder and mother of artist, Dale Auger. Rose talks about the young, the need for love and support from the family. She stresses the importance of growing and learning from one another.

Program 03

Norman Yakeleya - Activist: At this time, Norman was the Executive Director of the group who were working with the northern native people who suffered emotional, physical and sexual abuse at Grollier Hall Residential School in Inuvik, NWT.

Auntie Kate - Musician: Cathy Roland, known as Auntie Kate, is the only half native, half Hawaiian blues singer we could find. Cathy had never aspired to be a singer, she was encouraged to join a local band in her home town, since then, has not looked back.

Dawn Oman - Painter: A Chipewyan Metis artist who is in the forefront in using the Internet as a way of marketing her artwork from her home of Yellowknife, NWT. Dawn’s artwork includes a central image along with some abstract elements and has gone from using canvas to scarves, fabrics and pottery.

Walter Bonaise - Elder: Respected Plains Cree Elder, university professor, and singer, Walter talks about the connection between sense of place and sense of identity. He also stresses that the youth learn from Elders.

Program 04

Norman Yakeleya - Activist: Part two of Norman Yakeleya’s interview. He continues his story on what it was like, as a youth, to attend Grollier Hall Residential School in Inuvik, NWT.

George Littlechild - Painter: This successful painter was raised in foster homes separated from his Cree community, George’s mixed-media paintings record his personal and family history as well as his reclamation and reconnection with his ancestral culture. George Littlechild believes colours possess spiritual cleansing and purifying powers.

Pat Picher - Designer: From Bon Accord, Alberta, Pat specializes in the designing of native and contemporary jackets and skirts. This well respected designer incorporates native beading, bones and horn buttons in her designs.

Rufus Goodstriker - Elder: From Standoff, Alberta, this Blood Elder is one of our most respected herbal healers. Rufus believes that prayer and faith are very important in healing oneself. Since this interview, Rufus has past on.

Program 05

Steve Kakfwi - Politician: At this time Steve was the Premier of the Northwest Territories. Former President of the Dene Nation, Steve tells us about the advent of the Berger hearings in the 1970’s and the passing of the political “torch” from the traditional community Elders to the young, educated, English speaking generation.

Maxine Noel - Painter: In her youth Maxine wanted to be either a downhill ski instructor or a racing car driver, in the end, she settled for being a successful painter. Maxine has mastered the skills of painting and drawing plus the processes of serigraphy, etching and stone lithography. She recently turned her talents to cast paper and limited edition bronze castings.

Angus Cockney - Athlete: Renowned sculptor, Angus tells us about his experiences of being part of an International expedition to ski, also called the Ice Walk, to the North Pole.

Christine Daniels - Elder: Like her late husband, Christine works with native people who have “come into conflict with the law”.

Program 06

Bernard Ominiak - Activist: Long time chief of the Lubicon Cree, Bernard gives us the historical background as to how the Lubicon Cree were overlooked during the treaty process and their subsequent struggles for recognition.

Esther Tailfeathers - Doctor: After attending the University of North Dakota and qualifying as a medical doctor, Esther has come back to work with her own people on the Blood reserve. Drug and alcohol abuse, diabetes and gambling are of great concern for her and the people on the reserve.

Antoine Mountain – Painter: A Slavey painter from Fort Good Hope, NWT, and having no paper or pencils as a child, Antoine started to draw on blocks of wood at camp fires. Most of Antoine work are landscapes and reflect the Dene ceremonies and traditional way of live.

Sarah Carr - Elder: A Metis Elder from Fort Norman, NWT, Sarah stresses the importance of education to our youth.

Program 07

Walter Bonaise - Musician: Chief Poundmaker’s great grandson and son of famous singers and drummers, Walter talks about the spiritual values of singing and drumming and how they are under attack in the “contemporary” powwow.

Eli Nasogaluak – Carver, Painter, Portraitist, Sculptor: Eli, is one of the three well known brothers who are all established Inuvialuit artists from Tuktoyaktuk, NWT. Eli does beautiful sculptures depicting a variety of traditional and contemporary images. His work is internationally acclaimed.

Cathy Sewell - Tribute: The members of the acappella group Asani; Debbie, Sherryl and Sarah, remember their colleague and one of the founders of the group. Cathy passed away from beast cancer in her early thirties. A scholarship in Cathy’s name for Aboriginal Students is available through the University of Alberta.

Christine Daniels – Elder: Encourages the youth to follow the teaching of the Native People.

Program 08

Harold Cardinal - Activist: Harold tells us about his role in founding the Alberta Indian Association and the truly terrible conditions on the reserves in the 1960’s. Harold tells us why he wrote his book “The Unjust Society”.

Herman Yellow Old Woman - Musician: Herman, a Blackfoot, is one of a growing group of singers and drummers who are trying to re-assert the tribal aspects of singing and drumming on the reserve. Herman gives us a short history on the origin of Blackfoot songs and dances.

Bill Davidson - Activist: Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Larga Homes in Edmonton and Ottawa. These homes caterers to the northern native people who have come south for medical treatment.

Rufus Goodstriker - Elder: A Blood Elder and traditional healer, Rufus believes that prayer, faith, determination and willpower can empower all of us to do well.

Program 09

Joane Cardinal-Schubert - Painter: Joane is a multi-media visual, installation artist and curator whose works have been shown international and are included in many art collections. In 1985 Joane was awarded the Commemorative Medal of Canada for her contributions in art and was inducted to the Royal Canadian Academy of Art.

Karla Jessen Williamson - Scientist: Karla, a Greenlandic Inuk, is the first Aboriginal Woman to be hired as Executive Director of the Arctic Institute of North America in Calgary. The Greenlandic language and traditional stories were taught to her by her grandparents and in school.

Billy Joe Green - Musician: Hard Rock and blues guitarist Billy Joe talks about his career. He combines the energy of rock and roll with the grittiness of the blues to get his unique sound.

Reinie Jobin - Elder: Reinie, a Lubicon Cree Elder, feels that the Human Rights of the Lubicon Cree have been trampled on and there has been little support and understanding from the outside world to help the Lubicon be granted their own reserve.

Program 10

Rose Lame Man - Activist: Rose is the elected head of the Papaschase Cree band whose reserve included most of south Edmonton. The descendants of the original band are trying to prove that their ancestors were cheated out of their land.

Frederick McDonald - Painter: A Woodland Cree artist from Fort McKay, Alberta, Fred recently graduated with a Master’s Degree in Fine Arts from the University of Calgary. His work is a mixture of styles and expressions and he uses colours and symbols to capture the experiences, the characteristics and the spirituality of his people.

Delia Popowich - Entrepreneur: Delia is originally from the Blood reserve from southern Alberta. She owns and operates her own hairdressing business in Edmonton. Delia talks about what it takes to run your own business.

Frank Turning Robe - Elder: This Siksika Elder talks about the importance of speaking ones own language and preserving culture.

Program 11

Hugh Dempsey – Historian/Author: Through marriage, Hugh Dempsey became interested in the history and cultural issues of the Blood people.

Calvin Vollrath - Musician: From St. Paul, Alberta, Calvin is a teacher and a self taught, non music reading fiddle player. Calvin is a prolific writer of fiddle tunes, and has been awarded the title of World Champion Fiddler. He has released a number of CDs and has gone on tour with the likes of Willie Nelson and Dolly Parton.

April Mercredi - Painter: April, a Metis by birth, didn’t start to paint until she was in her sixties and had retired. Along with vivid colours and expressions from the past, April uses natural elements like feathers, rocks and sticks in her artwork. She continues to find new elements to incorporate in her paintings.

Bill Laferte - Elder: Metis Elder from Fort Simpson, Northwest Territories, Bill encourages people to study who they are, where they are going, and to retain ones culture. He believes in our youth and encourages all to do so.

Program 12

Wayne Roan - Activist: Chief of the Smallboy Cree Band, Wayne is the eldest son of the man who had the vision which led to part of the community of Hobbema leaving and to re-establish a traditional society deep in the mountains near Robb, Alberta. He encourages all to teach the best of both, the native and white cultures and to keep ones language and ceremonies.

Vic Mercredi - Athlete: Vic was the first man from the Northwest Territories to be drafted in the National Hockey League and a first round draft pick of the Atlanta Flames. His career was cut short by an injury.

John Farcy - Painter: John is an artist who lives in Fort Providence on the MacKenzie River. John is an expert on the little used technique of Pointilism. His paintings consist of lines and dots and could take over 90 hours to complete. John regularly has five different painting started at one time.

Fred Yellow Old Woman - Elder: Siksika Elder and father of Herman Yellow Old Woman, a singer and drummer, Fred talks about the traditional way that natives live and the closeness of the family unit.

Program 13

Maggie Hodgson - Activist: At the time of this production, Maggie was working with the federal government on finding an efficient way to compensate the victims of abuse in residential schools. She was honoured by receiving the National Aboriginal Achievement Award.

Roger Allen - Politician: Roger tells us of his wonderful experience at the 1972 Olympics when he was a member of the Canadian Cross Country Ski Team.

Dr. Herb Belcourt - Activist: Herb ran the Native Housing Corporation in Edmonton, This organization was established to provide decent, affordable housing to people who had suffered from racial discrimination by landlords.

Bertha Allen - Elder: Respected, long time Northwest Territories women’s activist, Bertha Allen encourages all to live a holistic live style.